what should i get for my ar 15 ? 4 power or ? mini type (like the old original type colt scopes ) scope .... or a newer type device like one of the e 0tech type .
what should be the apprx. $ for each , and explain the advantages of both .
have seen advertised about $ 400- $450 for the e 0tech ... out of my price range for it so it would have to be a knock off of the original .
friend has a tru glow/green -& red dot and he likes it much ..says its around $40
whats everyone using ? info appreciated

Good Morning Kid

What are you going to use your AR for? How much can you spend?

If you plan to shoot any distance at all, or to use your gun for small targets, or ammunition testing, I suggest you look for a variable that goes up to 6x or so. Bushnell has an inexpensive model and of course others do too. Don't expect Leupold quality.

The EOTech unit is not really intended for precision shooting at longer ranges, IMO. They are good sturdy units for what they were designed for but I would prefer a normal telescope for the jobs mentioned earlier. Optics are one of those things that seem to uphold the old rule, "You get what you pay for."

Depends on what you want to do with the gun.

It sounded like you were asking for advice about dime store priced 1x red dot optics. Two very popular are the Primary Arms MicroDot and Bushnell TRS-25. Both around $100 with AR specific riser mounts.

Iron sights like God and Gene Stoner intended. ( Listening to the sound of lead ballon crashing nearby.)

Now that the laughing has partially died down, I am partial to fixed 2.5X for all around rifles of all types. ( Not just AR's per se , but real rifles also.) Milspec red dots aren't cheap , be they EOTech , Aimpoint , or whoever. For consumer grade red dots , Bushnell has a track record of working well on 12ga slug guns which are much rougher on optics than AR's ( from a shooting perspective , not adressing bashing about in CQB).

All that said , when I get around to preping the shorty for hunting will probably be with a Nikon 4x40 ( because I have one and like it , and will treat the shorty so equiped with same degree of care as any other scoped hunting rifle).

I agree with that. I have one OR-carbine and every time I pick it up it makes me a little nervous that there are no iron-sights at either end. Of course the truth is I can't see iron-sights so well any longer, so - for me, at least - there is something to be said for proper optics. I would just be sure they are matched to the job. If the gun is used for self-defense, I would not shave the ham too thin. An EOTech may cost close to what an entry-level carbine costs, but the sturdiness and reliability could make a difference under the right conditions. If you are shooting at coyotes or woodchucks, an inexpensive scope like a Bushnell would probably be OK. If you like shooting little, tiny groups, or 200m pop cans, better save up for something a little higher quality with at least 6x magnification.

I was fine with that until I got into my 40s. God bless 1x red dot optics.

As others have said, it all goes to what you plan on using it for. My one AR has a Aimpoint Pro on it and my DMR has a SWFA 1-6X mounted on it for shots out to 600 yards.

My days of using iron sights are long gone since my eyes are getting older.

If you are just planning on using your AR as a general plinker, any of the lower end red dots like a Barska will work just fine. If you are also interested in making precision shots out to 300 yards, the Optisan Mamba is a good 1-4X setup for less than $150, which includes the one piece mount.

Why do you need them? What are you shooting at? What is your expectations for this rifle?

Aimpoint micro is my AR optic/red dot of choice. the AR platform was never intended for long range in 5.56. 300 yards is about as far as I would shot it. if i need distance, bolt guns are still king.

An early Colt M-16 with iron sights got me through a year as an advisor in Viet Nam. My Colt LE6920 has the stock carry handle and iron sights for home defense. My Armalite AR-10 has a Burris XTR 3-12X50mm scope for longer range shots.

__________________
U.S. Navy - U.S. Army, ret

As others have said, first thing you need to figure out is what are you looking to use the gun for. Small impressive groups at a distance? You'll need good glass and magnification. Praire dogs at 200-300 yards, same thing.
Pop cans at 100? You can use a dot or similar, maybe add a magnifier for some help.

My Scar sports an EoTech red dot and a magnifier for a bit more accuracy/distance with my old eyes. I also have the ability to continue to use my irons in case the EoTech fails.

I would be hard pressed to shoot very small targets over 200 yards with this... but that is not what I'm looking for either.